Spacecraft Transmits Signifcant Data after 4 Month Silence – Latest Tech Update
NASA Receives Meaningful Data from Voyager 1 Spacecraft After 46 Years
The US National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) has announced that it received significant data from the Voyager 1 spacecraft for the first time since its launch in 1977. The spacecraft, which has been sending unintelligible signals to Earth since November 2023, responded understandably to a command sent on March 1.
According to NASA’s statement, the issue was identified to be within one of the three computers in the flight data subsystem (FDS) of Voyager 1, which stores important data until it is transmitted back to Earth. After receiving a response from the spacecraft on March 3, scientists were able to analyze the data on March 10, which contained FDS records.
Scientists believe that the analyzed signal may help resolve communication problems within the spacecraft, as it provides insights into the steps that the FDS should take and recent changes. Voyager 1, which was launched to explore the outer regions of the solar system, is currently 23.3 billion kilometers away from Earth.
Due to its interstellar location, communications between Voyager 1 and NASA can take up to two days, with a one-way trip taking 20 hours and 33 minutes. In the meantime, NASA is also working on reestablishing connection with the Voyager 2 spacecraft, which experienced difficulties after receiving an incorrect command.
The successful data transmission from Voyager 1 marks a significant milestone for the long-lasting mission of the spacecraft, demonstrating the resilience and capability of the technology launched into space over four decades ago.
